Bookkeeper convicted of stealing more than $315K from Bloomington company

A onetime bookkeeper was convicted Monday of stealing more than $315,000 from a Bloomington customer service consulting company, an amount the owner said put a huge dent in his business.

Laura Lee Scholz, 47, of Burnsville, was found guilty by a Hennepin County District Court jury of four counts of theft by swindle for siphoning the money from Service Quality Institute (SQI) from August 2011 to July 2013.

After the verdicts were returned, SQI owner John Tschohl said he had "a very fast heart attack" when he first suspected that Scholz was stealing from his company.

Tschohl said the amount his business lost because of Scholz's actions represents about two years of profit for his company.

"I'm willing to be used to help other businesses avoid embezzlements," he said. "There are six or seven things you can do that I didn't do."

On the list, he said, "Never trust anybody."

In returning their verdicts, jurors also found "aggravating circumstances," meaning that the prosecution can seek a tougher-than-normal sentence. Those circumstances include the sheer number of fraudulent transactions, the substantial amount of money stolen and that Scholz used her position of trust to carry out the thefts.

After Scholz was promoted to head bookkeeper in August 2011, the thefts began in the form of cash withdrawals by the dozens. Many of the transactions were $1,000 or more. They continued month after month until July 2013, totaling $316,872.97. Along with withdrawing cash, Scholz sometimes cashed checks made out to SQI and kept some or all the money.

When confronted by Tschohl in July 2013, Scholz "did not give an adequate response," the complaint read. A day later, Scholz sought to cover her tracks by changing some of the bookkeeping entries.

The complaint did not say what Scholz did with the money.

A telephone message was left with Scholz's attorney seeking reaction to the verdicts. Scholz remains free ahead of sentencing, scheduled for June 22.